In the next few days, you will be getting a letter from me highlighting the great work we’ve done this year and asking for your continued membership in our merged organization for 2023. Our year starts in January so we will be enclosing the 2023 Dues donation invoice in with the letter. The 2023 Dues donation will reflect the merger. Many of you are members of both organizations so your 2023 dues will be less than what you paid last year for both. The businesses who were members of only one organization will see a slight increase in dues to reflect the addition of the other organization. Your dues donations help us to continue with our well-established events and programs, as well as develop new programs that promote your business and recruit new businesses to our area. Office address is: 104 E. 4th Street-PO Box 443, Wilton, IA 52778 and Phone: 563-732-5002.
Thank you to all who have helped us get this merger done and a Special Thanks to Doc (Keith) Stanley, Becky Hansen, Cindy Tietz, Ted Marolf, Tom Maurer, Lynn and Brenda Ochiltree for their help with the Halloween Party—putting up Christmas Lights on poles and outdoor sound system, cleaning out the old Chamber office and helping me with office work!
HO-HO-HO---HOLIDAY FUN and the SEASON FOR GIVING AND SHARING!
Chamber Bucks Giveaway!
We have the following Christmas Events coming up when we will be giving away Chamber Bucks:
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
Saturday, November 26 from 9am to 2pm. The following businesses will have great specials going on that day. They will have a bucket to put in your name for a chance to win Chamber bucks:
- Candy Kitchen
- Lorlen Candles, Gifts & Antiques
- Blooming Ideas (both locations)
- Cedar Closet (New store on the corner of Cedar and 4th Streets)
- Niche Etc. (New location at old Chamber office)
- Tinted Vintage
- Arty’s Ice Cream & Grill
- 4th Street Clothing
- Mary’s Barber Shop
- Wilton Café
CHRISTMAS WINDOW WALK
Sunday, December 4, 2022. Please let me know if you are interested and you have a window that you decorate or, want a window downtown to decorate. In addition, if you are interested in having an Open House let me know so that I can advertise all the great activities that evening.
- Starting off the Window Walk will be a performance at 3pm of the Christmas Play entitled, “An Enchanted Bookshop Christmas” by the Wilton Alumni Players and at the Masonic Temple. [There are also two other performances one on Friday, December 2 and Saturday, December 3, both at 7pm.]
- The Boy Scouts will be serving their soup supper at the Community Room starting at 4:30pm
- Santa & Mrs. Claus procession will start at the City Hall at 5pm and they will proceed to the Wilton Historic Depot and light the official City Christmas Tree at 5pm.
- Santa & Mrs. Claus will meet with children at the Depot starting at 5:15 pm to 7pm
- Festival of Trees will be at the Depot from 5pm – 7pm
- Open Houses and Christmas Animated Windows in Historic Downtown Wilton from 5 – 7pm.
- Christmas Scavenger Hunt 5 - 7pm you have to pick up your first clue at Community Bank
- The WHS Choir members under the direction of Patricia Norman will be caroling throughout the downtown from 5 – 7 pm.
- Hay rack Rides will also be going on throughout the evening 5 – 7pm.
COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER
A delicious Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be served on Thanksgiving Day-Thursday, November 24 from 11:30 – 1pm at the Presbyterian Church in Wilton. Everyone is Welcomed! If you need a ride to the church or if you want the meal delivered call: 563-260-3132 to set up arrangements.
SHOP WITH A COP
This year the Wilton Police Department is proud to put on the third annual Shop with a Cop event. We are planning to make it even bigger and better! Over 30 kids have been selected ages 4-17. We have worked closely with the school staff to select kids that are not only in need financially of assistance, but also outstanding kids of character. Each child will be given approximately $200 to shop for their family members at Wal-Mart the night of the event. They will also receive several items off a wish list that has been submitted as well as a stocking filled with a few treats, gift cards and Chamber bucks. The kids will meet at the Community Center and take a bus to Muscatine to shop. Once they are done shopping, they will be treated to a pizza party then begin wrapping all their gifts. This program is made possible through not only generous donations from Community members, but volunteer hours. If you would like to contribute financially or by volunteering to wrap gifts the night of the event, please call City Hall. Anything helps make this event successful!
Respectfully, Chief David Clark dclark@wiltoniowa.org
WILTON RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
Wilton Retirement Community will be sponsoring its 1st Holiday Staff Party since the beginning of the Covid Pandemic. It has been almost 3 years since the staff has had the ability to celebrate what they do every day. We want to do more for them than what we are financially able to do. To that end, we respectfully request your support in the form of donated raffle prizes (i.e. gift certificates/cards, raffle baskets of your business products and/or services). Please let Laura Brandt, WRC Administrator lbrandt@simpsonhome.org know by Friday, December 9 if you choose to donate. Chamber Bucks are coming your way Laura!
Whew, we have a very busy couple of weeks, but I hope you have the time to celebrate and enjoy the season with family and friends. Have a Safe, Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Becky Allgood
Wilton Chamber & Development Alliance
563-732-5002, cell: 563-299-4721